Turning A Dream Into A Nightmare ?

One thing I hate is remakes. I can’t even name a remade film released in the last 10 years in which I could say was better than the original. Why do they do it ? (Oh for the money, naturally).

There is one fillum which I think if they even dared to do remake, would be a very stupid thing to do.

Of course you are all familiar with Gregory’s Girl:

It is up there as one of the top ten footieinmovies films. (That gives me an idea. I’ll have to post a list of them.)

If they did try to do a remake, it just wouldn’t work.

A updated version (obviously) wouldn’t have the same look or feel. Gregory’s Girl captured that time perfectly.

Can you imagine a remade version doing the scene below in the same way ?

If it was done now a number of CCTV camera would have spotted them – then there would be squad cars swarming and these kids put on a sex offenders register.

Our outlook and attitudes have changed, everything has changed. Society now is more insular, more cynical and people we don’t interact or meet up like they did back then.

People walk around with their heads down, txting away, never looking up even when crossing the road.

We all gather in cafe’s now, but everybody sits, again with their heads down, tapping away at their laptops. If it wasn’t for the crappy musak blasting out, your local Starbucks would be as quiet as a library. Nobody talks. Nobody interacts.
Well yes they do via the texts and emails, but a face to face conversation ? Rare now.

A movie like Gregory’s Girl made now would not resemble or remind us at all of the original.
I know that’s probably what a movie studio would want, but there would be a number of people going to see that film who do want to be reminded of the original.

- These concerns came to me when I stumbled across something which is being remade and in this humble F&M’s opinion, could possibly be a very bad move. But it all depends on how it will turn out.

Article via the Daily Record:

Stars team up to remake Scottish World Cup anthem We Have A Dream

Oct 7 2008 By John Ferguson And Craig McDonald

A GALAXY of stars are teaming up with the Tartan Army to belt out Scotland’s best-loved World Cup anthem and help needy kids.

Hollywood stars Dougray Scott and Samuel L Jackson – a frequent visitor to Scottish golf courses – are among the big names who are recording a version of We Have A Dream.

Lord Of The Rings star Billy Boyd and Ugly Betty’s Ashley Jensen (why ?) are also included, along with Gregory’s Girl actor John Gordon Sinclair, who sang the original.

They got somebody from the original – John Gordon Sinclair, which is good, but why have they included this Ashley Jensen ? What’s the connection there ?

And why are they redoing it ? For what reason ?

The Record article has more:

…The single is being produced by original writer BA Robertson to raise money for Children In Need….

… BA – Brian Robertson – said: “The song is very close to my heart and the idea of re-releasing it for Children In Need struck the right chord.

“The new version allows us to breathe life into a song that has remained a positive and popular part of Scottish football culture and hopefully will help raise enormous amounts of money for Children In Need.

Ah that’s excellent. Two great things there. Another from the original – BA Robertson producing and profits going to a very good cause.

So there is a hope that I might like this new version, but it was tempered slightly with another Daily Record article which said:

“SCOTLAND boss George Burley threw his weight behind the Tartan Army’s latest World Cup anthem yesterday.

The manager recorded a part for We Have A Dream in a bid to raise money for Children In Need.

He said: “Luckily they didn’t ask me to sing. I just shouted ‘penalty !’.

“But I know the song is going to make a great anthem.

Oh..well… Anyway…

Have a read of the first article and over at http://wehaveadream2010.blogspot.com which is a blog created to promote the single, but with dual aim of cheering on the team to the World Cup Finals in 2010.

The blog has more details of the single and about other things they did when recording it – including at the Scotland v Norway match the other day when they recorded the Hampden Park crowd at half time singing the chorus. There are a number of clips on YouTube of that moment.

The new single isn’t out yet. Expected release date is November 10th.
It doesn’t look like it will be available to purchase and download online, they are going the old fashioned route of CD singles in the shops. So get yourself into the few remaining record shops and grab yourself a copy.

In the meantime before that here’s a repost of the original:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. » Scotland 1982 Squad – We Have A Dream - Click for lyrics I awoke in the night with a fever and the sky was the darkest blue and a still voice was calling to me “your country is needing you” Aye just like that. and away in the distance i can just make out this ball, coming in from the left,and i’m starting to run, to run like hell and the voices are getting louder and louder and louder, crying, “Hey big yin, gaun yersel’” (sung) I have a dream (we have a dream) If dreams come true (If dreams come true) then bonny Scotland (then bonny Scotland) i will play for you. (we’ll play for you) Now i hope and i pray (we hope and pray) that if, if i do (that if we do) Then bonny Scotland we’ll play for you (spoken) Now the next thing i know, someones gaun and tripped me and i’ve fallen just inside the box (thats a penalty) Now ref he loks to his linesman and he’s pointing right at the spot! (thats brilliant) Now John Robertson, who normally takes them, is handing the ball to me (you dont say) and then i hear ma old lady screamin’ blue murder, shes saying, “thats no the ball yer kickin’ ya eejit, its me!” (sung) I have a dream (we have a dream) If dreams come true (If dreams come true) then bonny Scotland (then bonny Scotland) i will play for you. (we’ll play for you) Now i hope and i pray (we hope and pray) that if, if i do (that if we do) Then bonny Scotland we’ll play for you we have a dream, If dreams come true, then bonny Scotland, we’ll play for you. We hope and pray (we hope and pray) that if we do (that if we do) Then bonny Scotland we’ll play for you.

I would still love to find a video of the original…

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